The more people you have who are aware of your diabetes, the better off you will be. For 
example, you are less likely to allow yourself to slide on the little things because you know that others will be watching. Nowhere is this more true than in the family, and you will want your spouse and children to be able to look up to you and rely on you to do what you say you will do. Especially, do not try to hide your diabetes. The fact is, managing your diabetes affects so many aspects of your life that you cannot go it alone. For example, you need to eat healthy foods, but you are not going to be able to do that without the cooperation of everybody who lives under your roof. And besides, the healthy lifestyle changes you need to make will benefit all of you. Try these tips:
- Buy smaller amounts of less-healthy food. You may be tempted to ban junk food from your home altogether. Unless you are the one who does all of the household grocery shopping, though, you really don’t have much control over whether tempting foods come into your house. Besides, why should you punish other family members for your illness, or make them feel guilty? Much better is to seek the middle ground, such as buying tempting foods in smaller sizes, like a quart of ice cream instead of a gallon. That way, if you feel tempted to eat a bag of potato chips, you have some portion control.
- Make your own run to the grocery store. Try going with your spouse, and make sure that the cart contains items you like that are also healthful and fit into your diabetes eating plan. That way, home-cooked meals are more likely to appeal to you. In turn, this will help you reach your goals for blood sugar and weight loss. It may also have the added bonus of encouraging the rest of the family to eat healthily.
- Make sure family members recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar. This won’t be easy because you may not recognize them yourself. Blurred vision, mental confusion and sweating are common for hypoglycemia. Make sure they know how to take the necessary emergency measures. bear in mind that most people fail to recognize their own symptoms. In my case, I may claim to feel fine, but I lose concentration and become irritable. But a drink of orange juice or a glucose tablet will have me feeling right as rain in a matter of minutes.
- Eat your evening meal as a family. There are huge benefits to eating meals as a family on a regular basis. I think you’ll be surprised at some of those listed if you follow the link. Bottom line, though, people tend to eat in a more nutritious way and the behavior of children is better overall. This, in turn, leads to less stress in the home and, best of all, fewer problems with your blood sugar control which can be affected by stress.
- Work with your spouse to establish health goals. He or she has a vested interest in keeping you happy and healthy. If you plan together there is likely to be less tension between you – at least as regards your diabetes care.
Please note that the content presented here is for your information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and it should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease.
Tim's Diabetes Blog 